Article by
Barbados Today

Published on
October 18, 2018

Opposition Senator Caswell Franklyn has slammed Government’s “Ernie and Bert” economic crisis programme as a “quick-fix”, designed to improve its chances of being re-elected.

And in so doing, the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) administration is inflicting more pain on Barbadians than necessary, he charged.

“Your [Government’s] job is not to rush in here and do a quick fix. This is not a quick fix thing that you can do in four years, give a little sweet something at the end of year four, and then year five get re-elected. This is what this whole thing is about,” the trade unionist insisted.

“I understand that the country is in trouble, but you cannot rush in and fix it in the short term looking at the next election down the road, because this is what is happening.”

He made the comments this afternoon during debate on the Approval of Debt Restructuring Bill 2018 in the Senate, in which the Government is to amend the terms on which domestic bondholders are repaid.

Referring to Government’s recently introduced Barbados Economic Recovery and Transition (BERT) programme as the “Ernie and Bert programme”, Senator Franklyn said it was causing Barbadians undue stress and pain.

“This programme is more onerous than the IMF [International Monetary Fund] would have put on us had we gone to the IMF and let them design a programme for us.

“But we in Barbados decided this is what we are going to do, and the IMF decided not to stop us. This is one of the fastest programmes ever negotiated by the IMF,” Senator Franklyn said.

“You are hurting us, the people of this country, more than is necessary because you want to do it in four years so you can win the elections.”

He lambasted Government for its decision to send home 1,500 public workers, saying that most of those losing their jobs were at “the bottom of the scale”.

The senator recommended the Prime Minister trim her 26-member cabinet instead, which he claimed was ten more than it needed to be.

He said the impending job cuts ran counter to the Government’s protection of the most vulnerable in society.

“As part of this BERT programme, you are sending home people at the bottom of the public service scale and you feel that is good . . . . You are sending home people who are making less than $2,500.

“Take care of the people who cannot take care of themselves. If you come to Parliament and you have not been able to put your life in a position where you can support yourself then you shouldn’t be here. You shouldn’t be coming here relying on Parliament to feed you and serve you,” Senator Franklyn said.

34 thoughts on “‘Ernie and Bert quick-fix’, charges Franklyn”

Someone see it as I do.. and this is not a DLP or BLP thing but from a social affair.. POOR people can’t take a year of this pressure. Most them voted the last government out because of financial crisis at home and looked to SO CALL AUNTY for help.

Caswell Franklyn says: “I understand that the country is in trouble….”

Caswell you would have to be a real Sesame Street character to have made that comment and not want the Administration to act to get the country out of “trouble”.

You would also have to be a naive Sesame Street clown not to know that all politicians have one eye on being re-elected while governing.

By the time you get The Count Sinckler, whom you say you “miss”, back in Parliament, you will be long retired and almost 80 years old enjoying the eventual sweets of this BLP administration on Easy Street.

Speak your mind boss on behalf of those at the bottom and not the top who will be going home.Most critics will apose you because of thier political agenda but the bottimline is the bottom will find it impossible to survive because all the IMF measures will impact them while those at the top wouldn’t feel a pitch.Speak your mind boss on behalf of those at the bottom

Imagine government is sending home 1,500 workers, while creating a unit called “Household Mitigation Unit”, headed by talk show hosts on Brasstacks, Corey Layne.
This Unit will take people’s cases and refer them to the Welfare Department.Corey’s salary will be $6,000 a month, plus allowances.
He will have a staff of four people, who will receive between 4 and 5 thousand dollars monthly.
Cabinet will approve this during todays meet, so that the Unit could start rolling from November 1st.
I now see why Corey was singing the praises for the government on yesterday’s BrassTacks.
Every turkey feeling fuh he own craw, I tell yah.

The PM spoke about sharing the burden. Where is she or her bloated cabinet sharing anything, except for big paydays and the perks that goes with it. All that’s sharing is licks and undue hardship on the poor lowly paid worker. One of the first things she did was to give her and her ministers a 5% salary increase, after criticising the Dems for back themselves 10%, like if they aren’t well off already. Then she spoke about laying offs being a last resort. Just 4/5 months and it has become a first resort. Dees and Bees are mo different. They just use the masses for power and wealth.

@Gadfly Caswell, JOHNNY THE CROW and the Yard
fowls, you should asking about the $400m that the Transport board can`t give an account of, that would be of great help and there would be no need for Bert and Ernie. While the fire is raging, Caswell would take his time and let the whole building burn flat.

There is no quick fix to this mess that Ali baba and his band got us into. I am no economic guru, so let’s say we devalue the dollar as a measure. Wouldn’t bajans be peeing there pants Mr Franklin. Who would be feeling the brunt of the pain? The same people at the bottom that you claim to care about. You like to blow a lot of hot and cold air. Give us a comprehensive alternative fix Mr know all.

This government had the option of going to parliament and amending the constitution to allow for pay cut in the public service. The ministers can also make the sacrifice of a 10% salary reduction for a two year period. This party preached while in opposition that 17 minister were way too many for an economy our size yet now they have moved the ministers to 26. They also claimed that we were over tax, yet , more taxes. I still whish them every success in their efforts and hope that it succeeds to the benefit if us all.

This Sen.Franklyn is a loose canon. He engaged his mouth when is brain is still asleep. I have been following his mouthing and writing for years and most of the time he lacks objectivity, he opposes for opposing sake and he plays to the gallery. He can now be labelled the clown prince of the senate.
We just got rid of a Government because of its inaction, it brought us to the edge of the cliff and all credible local and international commentators have concluded that we were close to devaluation and immediate action must be taken.
The Government has taken the needed action and this clown prince is saying they are acting too fast, a similar sentiment was expressed by the general secretary of the NUPW.
These union leaders have become accustom to lack of action from the former Government and is finding it difficult to deal with a Government who is working in the interest of the people who put them there to correct the mistakes made by the last Government.

This government is simply killing the piglets to feed the pig. How can you be reducing the size of the public sector then to create yet another S O E to assess those in need?

How can this make any sense, when the same S O E will then be forwarding the cases of those in need to the welfare department?
The constituency councils if they had been restructured would have been the ideal institution to assess the needs of citizens at the very community level. All government domestic assistance could have been approved at the local council level. However I will have to agree with Franklyn, “this is an Ernie and Burt” recovery plan.

I was at the Grand Salle last night to engage the panel assembled by the Nation group, and this man Dr. Greenidge proved himself to be a prerecorded respondent to the queries of the audience. Sad thing in Barbados though, the Bankers, the Economic society, the private sector, and indeed many other NGO groups have their doubts about the B E R T programme, but they’ve been intimidated that they have to support the programme otherwise the consequences would be grim for Barbados and their investors. It’s clear that the need to introduce this level of austerity to service a dept that is 80% locally owned is totally overboard so the process is based on pure intimidation of our N G O’s who are supporting this programme.

You could hide and buy land but you can’t hide and work it.i listen to that moderator on the call in program and I could have always see through his performance.Barbados just like Hollywood nuff actors and actresses.Play thier part well.Them can fool the people but them can’t play that around God.who sees and hears and knows all.When karma catch to them they know.All of them moderators is got an angle.There is one who all fighting down God and the chruch and think he so intelligent and slick.but the same God he say he doesn’t believe in one day he going be force to cry out to for all that careless talk that comes out his mouth.He play he Ain hearing.When callers call he making sport and the bible.But he can do that with the Christians because they don’t understand the Bible and can’t defend it.But other people he dare not bring that talk around.

People devaluation will not hurt the poor stop fooling wanna self. It will hurt the RICH who will awake and find that they have become just like me poor.
The government can’t devalue what I don’t have.

There are many sheep in Bim…it’s the nature of most people here…to follow and fit in. It’s heartening, when ever so often there is a goat who will kick some butt.Whether or not you fully agree with his contribution…and I differ on several points… be thankful for some diversity…it is what makes this world turn and think.

mr franklyn you got a bad track record as a trade unionist and you bout d place talking bout errine and bert thing, you should be shame, you now playing you got a voice for the ppl in barbados, and now you get one you talking nuff crap, how dear you, you should be on comedy central, mia trying to get the country back on track and you talking crap, are you aware the country in trouble, are you aware the country have been mismanage, are you aware the country loss millions of dollars under the DLP and cant be recovered, did you hear of all the contracts which were given out 20 and 30 million at a time, while cancelling other contracts which were sign off on, are you mad,, how can a country build a building and still got to rent it from the builder, you look into the transport board,, housing, BWA, ya clown , if you did worth your weight in salt the DLP would have had you running,, or BLP, but poor boy every body saw through you except JOE,, but after he turn coat what else we could expect but for he to bring on another joker like him self to look after the affairs of the ppl of barbados,, now you playing you is more justice than justice it self, glad you aint running barbados,, ,, i would be sorry for you,, you wont know what to do, no wonder why that lady and her daughter had to blast you on social media, aint even shame, go get lil shame bush and cover ya face,

I eagerly therefore await the publication in the press of Mr Franklin’s detailed recovery plan so we can all look at it as an alternative to BERT. I am of course assuming that one exist as no one would surely in his position criticise simply for the sake of being heard. Or would they?

@Paul Smith – SPOT ON !!
The Bs and Ds are a tag-team, when we elect either in power, they both mimic each other. They just have a different name. People we got to recognise what is going on. BOTH parties are making our lives harder, whilst making their lives easier. None have done any sacrificing and will never bcos WE ARE.

@Adhim Muhammad – loool, I found your comments so amusing but SPOT ON !!

People please share and sign: they dont care about us, they just making sport….If we dont help ourselves, no-one in power is going to help us: https://bit.ly/2yrXric